Troop Four Family Newsletter – January 10, 2007

(Word, PDF)

Return of Troop Equipment: Please be sure to return any troop equipment by the January 18 troop meeting. The troop will need it for the upcoming scout year.

Merit Badge Classes: for Pioneering and First Aid merit badges are now in process at the troop meetings. For scouts working on the First Aid merit badge, they need to attend the January 11 troop meeting to complete the CPR part of the badge. On that night we will have Red Cross personnel to do training for CPR. Scouts not taking the merit badge can attend the training too! We will wrap up both classes by the January 18 troop meeting.

Annual Pancake Breakfast: was a great success! Thanks to all the scouts. leaders and parents who helped out. The final $ are not done yet, but we exceeded our expectations for fund raising and served about 500 people! We are off to a good start for raising $ for our 2008 high adventure trip.

January Town Christmas Tree Pick Up: was a successful event too! Thanks again to all who helped out. Many serviced hours were completed by the scouts and we made $450 for the troop.

January Troop Winter Camping Trip: is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday January 27 & 28 at Purgatory Chasm State Reservation in Sutton, MA. We will meet at St. Mary’s parish center at 9:00 AM Saturday and leave about 9:30 AM. We will be back at the parish center for pick up by noon on Sunday. Scouts need to bring a bag lunch for Saturday and we will be patrol cooking on fires for Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast. We will be sleeping in tents Saturday night.

We are hoping for snow! If there is snow, scouts should bring a snow tube, sled, etc. for sliding. We will also be doing some pioneering projects. If there is any ice or snow the chasm part of the park is closed – for safety. If there is no snow, we will be hiking the area and doing some pioneering projects. Snow or not, we will be doing the famous Troop 4 night-time model rocket launches Saturday night! We will be building the rockets at the troop meetings before the campout.

The troop will have its own wooded campsite which is sheltered from the wind and has plenty of wood for fires.

We will be preparing the new scouts for winter camping during the troop meetings. In addition, we will email out a list of winter camping personal gear for new scouts to use.

If your son will be attending please drop off the attached permission slip by the January 18 troop meeting – please call or email Dave Kirchner before January 18 if your son will be attending but won’t be at the meeting on the 18th.

January Board of Reviews: The next Court of Honor will be on Thursday, January 25. The scouts have been working hard on advancement and there will be many awards presented. Scouts who will need Boards of Review for rank advancement have been contacted and the troop will have Boards of Review at the January 11 and 18 troop meetings.

Eagle Scout Court of Honor: Congratulations to Mike Fernandes on earning the Eagle Scout award! Mike will be presented with his award at the Thursday, January 25 Court of Honor. Many other badges of rank, merit badges, and awards will be also presented. This is a family court of honor, and all scouts and their families are invited for dinner and awards. Dinner will be served at 6:30 PM sharp and the awards ceremonies will start at 7:00 PM. The awards will be completed by about 8:30 PM. Please RSVP to Jennifer DiMola with the number of people attending at 508-473-5901 no later than Saturday, January 20.

Recharter $ Due: The annual $35 recharter fee for each scout is due by the February 1 troop meeting. Please drop off the recharter fee in a check payable to Troop 4 at the troop meetings or mail the check to the Troop Treasurer, Judy Alley at 7 Paula Road in Milford by February 1. Almost all of the $ goes to the National Boy Scout Council for dues, insurance and Boy’s Life magazine. We do need the payment by the 1st to be sure that all scouts are registered.

Upcoming Event Dates & Reminders

  • Thursdays: Jan. 11, 18 are troop meetings and Boards of Review
  • Thursday, Jan. 25 Troop Court of Honor
  • Saturday and Sunday Jan. 27 – 28 Troop Winter Camping Trip
  • Thursdays: Feb 1, 8, 15 are regular troop meetings
  • Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Feb 9 – 11 Troop New Hampshire winter sports camping trip – more information on the way!

Please call the Dave Kirchner at 508-478-5915 or email at if you have any questions.